Eish! It's a proper jol at the Madlanga Commission! Julius Mkhwanazi, the suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) deputy chief, dropped a whole load of truth bombs this week. He admitted to taking money from Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, helping Matlala's vehicles get those flashy blue lights, and even being there when cops allegedly tortured a suspect to death. Hayi mani!
Cat VIP Deal: An Oversight?
According to Mkhwanazi, his relationship with Matlala was like, super tight. “Blood brothers,” he called him. But things got sticky when the commission started asking about those blue lights on Matlala's private vehicles. Apparently, those lights are supposed to be for official law enforcement only. Mkhwanazi claims he didn't install the lights himself and never even saw the cars. Aikona!
Cash is King?
Mkhwanazi admitted he and Matlala were close, sharing lunches, dinners, and even borrowing money from each other. He said Matlala would give him petrol money, and he'd sometimes borrow cash from Matlala. But he denies getting paid to put blue lights on Matlala's cars, though he did admit Matlala helped him out financially when he was unemployed.
EMPD's Side of the Story
Mkhwanazi defended the EMPD's deal with Cat VIP, saying it was to help with security threats and because they were short on vehicles. He claims it didn't cost the city anything. Former city manager Imogen Mashazi also defended the agreement as an “oversight”.
- Mkhwanazi admitted to receiving money from Cat Matlala.
- He facilitated blue lights for Matlala's vehicles.
- He was present at an alleged police torture incident.
- EMPD defended the Cat VIP deal as a response to security threats.
The Madlanga Commission is still digging into this whole mess. This is one spicy shebeen story, hey? Stay tuned for more updates!